You are correct that the term “podcast” derives from the iPod, but interestingly the term predates Apple’s addition of podcasting features to the iPod and the iTunes software.
Client side scripts for automatically downloading episodes published through RSS, and then copying it to your iTunes library, where it would update your iPod the next time you connected it to your computer. This was long before mobile internet so iPods could only be updated by plugging into a computer with iTunes installed.
You would sync them to your iPod like any other audio. You download the podcast, put it in your iTunes library and when you plugged in your iPod it would transfer everything over.
The first podcast was Christopher Lydon’s Radio Open Source. The term podcast was created to describe it. It’s still going strong. If you like ideas, books, music, vaguely leftish politics you might like it.
Am I totally crazy or did the word “podcast” come directly from the Apple proprietary product name “iPod?” You know, their old music players?
If so it’s weird to see an Apple-specific term spread so far and wide. They usually stay within the walled garden.
You are correct that the term “podcast” derives from the iPod, but interestingly the term predates Apple’s addition of podcasting features to the iPod and the iTunes software.
Weird! How were they consumed before they were added to iTunes or the iPod? I should know this but I don’t recall.
We had RSS feeds that would auto download the latest episode, then you could copy it to your ipod
I’m amazed that took off but I guess that’s 2023 me talking
Client side scripts for automatically downloading episodes published through RSS, and then copying it to your iTunes library, where it would update your iPod the next time you connected it to your computer. This was long before mobile internet so iPods could only be updated by plugging into a computer with iTunes installed.
You would sync them to your iPod like any other audio. You download the podcast, put it in your iTunes library and when you plugged in your iPod it would transfer everything over.
The first podcast was Christopher Lydon’s Radio Open Source. The term podcast was created to describe it. It’s still going strong. If you like ideas, books, music, vaguely leftish politics you might like it.
It has nothing to do with open source software.